diff --git a/sound/soc/fsl/fsl_ssi.c b/sound/soc/fsl/fsl_ssi.c
index bedec4a..56245e6 100644
--- a/sound/soc/fsl/fsl_ssi.c
+++ b/sound/soc/fsl/fsl_ssi.c
@@ -224,6 +224,12 @@ struct fsl_ssi_soc_data {
  * @dbg_stats: Debugging statistics
  *
  * @soc: SoC specific data
+ *
+ * @fifo_watermark: the FIFO watermark setting.  Notifies DMA when
+ *             there are @fifo_watermark or fewer words in TX fifo or
+ *             @fifo_watermark or more empty words in RX fifo.
+ * @dma_maxburst: max number of words to transfer in one go.  So far,
+ *             this is always the same as fifo_watermark.
  */
 struct fsl_ssi_private {
 	struct regmap *regs;
@@ -263,6 +269,9 @@ struct fsl_ssi_private {
 
 	const struct fsl_ssi_soc_data *soc;
 	struct device *dev;
+
+	u32 fifo_watermark;
+	u32 dma_maxburst;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -1051,21 +1060,7 @@ static int _fsl_ssi_set_dai_fmt(struct device *dev,
 	regmap_write(regs, CCSR_SSI_SRCR, srcr);
 	regmap_write(regs, CCSR_SSI_SCR, scr);
 
-	/*
-	 * Set the watermark for transmit FIFI 0 and receive FIFO 0. We don't
-	 * use FIFO 1. We program the transmit water to signal a DMA transfer
-	 * if there are only two (or fewer) elements left in the FIFO. Two
-	 * elements equals one frame (left channel, right channel). This value,
-	 * however, depends on the depth of the transmit buffer.
-	 *
-	 * We set the watermark on the same level as the DMA burstsize.  For
-	 * fiq it is probably better to use the biggest possible watermark
-	 * size.
-	 */
-	if (ssi_private->use_dma)
-		wm = ssi_private->fifo_depth - 2;
-	else
-		wm = ssi_private->fifo_depth;
+	wm = ssi_private->fifo_watermark;
 
 	regmap_write(regs, CCSR_SSI_SFCSR,
 			CCSR_SSI_SFCSR_TFWM0(wm) | CCSR_SSI_SFCSR_RFWM0(wm) |
@@ -1373,12 +1368,8 @@ static int fsl_ssi_imx_probe(struct platform_device *pdev,
 		dev_dbg(&pdev->dev, "could not get baud clock: %ld\n",
 			 PTR_ERR(ssi_private->baudclk));
 
-	/*
-	 * We have burstsize be "fifo_depth - 2" to match the SSI
-	 * watermark setting in fsl_ssi_startup().
-	 */
-	ssi_private->dma_params_tx.maxburst = ssi_private->fifo_depth - 2;
-	ssi_private->dma_params_rx.maxburst = ssi_private->fifo_depth - 2;
+	ssi_private->dma_params_tx.maxburst = ssi_private->dma_maxburst;
+	ssi_private->dma_params_rx.maxburst = ssi_private->dma_maxburst;
 	ssi_private->dma_params_tx.addr = ssi_private->ssi_phys + CCSR_SSI_STX0;
 	ssi_private->dma_params_rx.addr = ssi_private->ssi_phys + CCSR_SSI_SRX0;
 
@@ -1543,6 +1534,47 @@ static int fsl_ssi_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
                 /* Older 8610 DTs didn't have the fifo-depth property */
 		ssi_private->fifo_depth = 8;
 
+	/*
+	 * Set the watermark for transmit FIFO 0 and receive FIFO 0. We don't
+	 * use FIFO 1 but set the watermark appropriately nontheless.
+	 * We program the transmit water to signal a DMA transfer
+	 * if there are N elements left in the FIFO. For chips with 15-deep
+	 * FIFOs, set watermark to 8.  This allows the SSI to operate at a
+	 * high data rate without channel slipping. Behavior is unchanged
+	 * for the older chips with a fifo depth of only 8.  A value of 4
+	 * might be appropriate for the older chips, but is left at
+	 * fifo_depth-2 until sombody has a chance to test.
+	 *
+	 * We set the watermark on the same level as the DMA burstsize.  For
+	 * fiq it is probably better to use the biggest possible watermark
+	 * size.
+	 */
+	switch (ssi_private->fifo_depth) {
+	case 15:
+		/*
+		 * 2 samples is not enough when running at high data
+		 * rates (like 48kHz @ 16 bits/channel, 16 channels)
+		 * 8 seems to split things evenly and leave enough time
+		 * for the DMA to fill the FIFO before it's over/under
+		 * run.
+		 */
+		ssi_private->fifo_watermark = 8;
+		ssi_private->dma_maxburst = 8;
+		break;
+	case 8:
+	default:
+		/*
+		 * maintain old behavior for older chips.
+		 * Keeping it the same because I don't have an older
+		 * board to test with.
+		 * I suspect this could be changed to be something to
+		 * leave some more space in the fifo.
+		 */
+		ssi_private->fifo_watermark = ssi_private->fifo_depth - 2;
+		ssi_private->dma_maxburst = ssi_private->fifo_depth - 2;
+		break;
+	}
+
 	dev_set_drvdata(&pdev->dev, ssi_private);
 
 	if (ssi_private->soc->imx) {
